Matthew News Release #17

Residents Should Ask to See Identification of Hurricane Matthew Relief Workers

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Residents in affected counties are encouraged to be mindful of possible scams associated with the recovery efforts of hurricane Matthew. Thousands of disaster workers will be coming into the state from all over the country. People affected by Matthew should take a few steps to stay protected during recovery:

Ask for proper identification of service providers.

Legitimate service providers will not ask for personal information such as the name of your bank, social security numbers or any other identifying information.

If you feel unsafe when individuals come upon your property, call 911 for local law enforcement assistance.

Any residents with questions about ongoing Hurricane Matthew response and recovery actions should call the toll-free South Carolina Public Information Phone System 1-866-246-0133.

Visit scemd.org for more information from all state agencies that form the S.C. Emergency Response Team. Follow @SCEMD on Facebook and Twitter for continuous information.